Congress Should Help Parents With Teens and Social Media
/by Martin McCarthy
Parenting is one of the hardest, yet most rewarding jobs I've ever had.
As a former Bridgeport City Council member, I've witnessed how our policy decisions directly impact families and the broader Bridgeport community. Social media has become a central part of our lives, connecting us with friends and family, but it has also exposed our teens to a range of dangers.
Our teens deserve an online environment that is safe, nurturing, and conducive to positive community building. While Congress has taken steps to encourage that kind of environment with the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) which passed the Senate last month, KOSA’s problems highlight that we need a policy that truly protects teens online.
Although KOSA aims to safeguard teens online, it misses the mark on some key issues, ultimately creating new dangers for teens and their parents to face. The bill attempts to moderate content deemed unsafe for teens, but this approach risks censoring vital information that could benefit all users, such as resources on reproductive care, mental health, and suicide awareness. Moreover, KOSA's "duty of care" requires platforms to design social media experiences specifically for younger users, but this mandate impacts everyone, not just teens.
This broad and vague language can lead to overzealous content moderation, which not only stifles free speech but also disproportionately harms vulnerable groups, like LGBTQ+ youth, who rely on online resources for support and community.
Instead of protecting kids, KOSA could inadvertently expose them to greater harm by restricting access to essential information. The best way to safeguard children online is not through censorship but by empowering parents through a federal law that mandates app-store-level parental consent. This approach would enable parents to protect their teens without compromising personal data or censoring educational content.
By centralizing the consent process, parents can easily approve app downloads in real time via notifications on their devices, eliminating the need to navigate multiple tools or repeatedly input sensitive information. This method puts control back where it belongs—in the hands of parents, who know their children best, and offers a straightforward, reliable way to ensure their children's safety online.
“This approach gives parents the necessary tools to safeguard their children in an increasingly digital world, placing them in control of their children’s online experiences.”
Now, the House of Representatives has the chance to make a meaningful difference in the next generation of online safety for our teens. By addressing the flaws in KOSA and implementing federal app-store-level parental consent, Congress can create a solution that genuinely protects our kids without compromising free speech.
This approach gives parents the necessary tools to safeguard their children in an increasingly digital world, placing them in control of their children's online experiences. It's not only practical but essential. Congress must act swiftly to ensure that KOSA truly reflects the needs of families across the country. Let’s empower parents to decide what’s right for their teens. The time to act is now—let's fix KOSA and ensure the safety and well-being of our children online.
Martin McCarthy is a former member of the Bridgeport City Council.
